Cloth drying process and apparatus



Feb. 8, 1944. H. D. LEARNARD CLOTH DRYING PROCESS AND APPARATUS Filed June l5, 1.940

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Q@@@^M@ q mentes res. a, 1944 Harry. D. Learna'rd, Andover, "Masa, assigner'. to?? Paciic Mills. Lawrence Massachusetts Application June 1s, 14940, serial No. 340.75.72

one or theebjects of the present invention resides in an improved process for dryingA c loth which results in quicker, moreeconomicaland more uniform drying, with little or` no tendency Mass., a corporation or',l .i f V` operate in yaccordanc'ze the present invention.

y The type of drier to be employed will be selected l, according Vto ther nature of thecloth `and the' for the cloth to change its .dimensions either warp-wise or weft-wise during drying.

A further object of the invention is a4 novel cloth drying process whichdries the cloth smooth l and fiat and improves the hand and feelfofthe cloth. i l I 'l A 4 Heretofore, cloth has been dried by passing the cloth about aplurality of --cylindrical drying drums or cans internally heated by steam or other suitable medium, the drums each being' driven by a suitable power source and each exerting a driving effect on the cloth. Insuch a drier the cloth is often slack about many drums withconsequent loss in drying effect and uneven drying.

In accordance withthe present'invention the element of many of the drums while others ol' the drums or other cloth driving means is utilized to drive the cloth. AWith this` arrangement the cloth is pulled tight upon the drums it drives i and hence the cloth-.is in intimate contact with the drums and dries rapidly and uniformlyr All drums of the same type turn at the same peripheral speed and hence the warp and weft strands during v-the passage around the drums are in the same relative condition at each drum and are set in that relative condition while wet so that the clothis not distorted. Due to the` tightness of .the cloth on the drums, the cloth is made smooth and tree from wrinkles and is of more uniform4 cloth to`-be dried itself constitutes the driving v width and acquires great smoothness and anne hand and feel. y

Hence a further object of the invention is a method of drying cloth wherein the advancing cloth constitutes the driving element of some of the drying drums about which it passes.`

Another object is the provision ofc. clothdrier facilities oi the plant.

Fig. 1 illustrates a drier which has proven satisiactory in' performing-the present invention. The drier comprises a lower horizontal rowv of smooth` facedhollow metal cylindrical dryingdrums orcansV I 0 of equal diameter journalled in hollow brackets i2 supported on a `hollow lower frame i4 and each provided with a similar driving sprocket i6; YThe drier alsoiincludes a horizontal .upper row oi' similar drying drums i8 which are located between vbut out oi contact with the drums vof .the lower roll and having shafts Z, Fig. 2, `which are'4 mounted in antifrictionas ,ball bearings 22 carried by hollow brackets 24 supported by a hollow upper frame 26. The upper drums are not .provided with driving means and are intended to be driven and rotated entirely by the cloth in lcontact with said upper drums. The lower rolls are driven A at the same peripheral speed by a chain which is in engagement with all of the sprockets of the lower rolls and is passed about a driving sprocket 3B driven by any suitable power source. The cloth A passes through a tensioning-device and thence alteri Fis. 2 the drum supporting bracket is hollow' and has an internal passage 38 that opens to ,thev

internal passage 4I of the supporting trame,l which passage receives steam or other drying medium at suitable pressure and temperature from any suitable source. The drum shaft has an axial passage I2 therethrough opening into the bracket passage at one end and into the drum at the other end through which the steam can flow into and circulate about the interior of the drum. A condensate pipe M also passes loosely through the shaft passage and through and Vis supported by the bracket and connects with a pipe 46 of a manifold 48, Fig. 1, by which excess condensate can be forced from the drum by andthe clothis smooth, and has a superior feel. The `lay of the warp and weft strands is not disturbed and the cloth dries free from distortion l `and with uniiormwidth. There 'can be more than one freely rotatable drum between a pair of power driven drums.

However arranged in accordance with this inv vention, the cloth constitutes the driving element 2,841,504 fr I i, i the friction between the cloth and ine powerdriven drums, driving the idler drums solely lilly the friction between the advancing cloth and the v idler drums, internally heating the drying drums for some of the drying 'drums and `thereby is causedtobe pressed tightly and smoothly inl contact with ,such drums and also, with the drums which drive the cloth so that rapid uniform drying of thecloth under uniform'width free from ma teria! change of dimensions is obtained. The drying drums have the usual smooth metal cylindrical faces against which the cloth .bears and;4

the cloth driving drumsA advance the cloth at ni' form speed through the drier.

Since the drier consists of a serieslof couples comprising an .idler drum `and a driving above the boiling point of the moisture in the j cloth'and above the temperature of the surrounding atmosphere to form steam between the cloth and the drums providing for slippage of the cloth on thevdrums' which causes ironing of the cloth surface; 1

2. A cloth ironerand drier in com-` Y-pbinationa series of'drying and ironing drums' having smooth peripheral surfaces, a second series of drying and ironing drums, each separate drum foi one series adapted to receive the cloth from va separate drumfof the other series. means to conlduct heating, steam tothe interiors of said drums.

drum, the cloth web is caused to be wrapped" l couples to elongate the web twarpwise. There is inherent slip between the web andthe driving and l idler dmms,.particularly las the steam-heated drums vaporize the moisture in the .cloth at the( surfaces of the drums. The eiect oi.' the pressure and the slip is to iron the cloth and improve its finish. The slip or relative movement between the-web` and the drumsis in opposite directions.

on the two drums of a drum-couple so that 'any tendencyof a driven drumto elongate the web by rubbing out the weave crinkles is aiifset'by'I ythe tendency ofthe cooperating idler drum to'. f

" rial change in' the warpwise dimension of said shorten the web by rubbing the .web in the `oppof vdelivery means adapted to deliver cloth under tension tothe Vilrst drum of one of said series of drums, mechanicall means Afor driving the drums of said ilrst series at the same peripheral speed i and at a speed greater than the-speed of the cloth 5 -on sad'drums thereby ironing the cloth in one direction -by advancing said drum surfaces faster f. l. than the cloth is'delivered yto said drums, drums of the second series being devoid of mechanicaly driving meanswh'ereby said drums are adapted to 'ff -1 be driven solely by -thecloth in contact therewith and at a peripheral speed slower'than the speedof e 30' the cloth tnereonthereby ironing the cloth inthe 'l l opposite directiomf and means adapted"v to receive 3. The 'method o! drying VVVcloth,` without' mtegf.

cloth, which comprises delivering the cloth under' tension to the surface of a' heating the cloth by the heat of the drum; drying f and ironing said cloth on said drum byi'otaiiinl` site directionto restore the weave crinkles. Thus said drum-mechanically to dunne the mime the herein-described apparatus not lonly dries'the 40 of said drumfgster than um cloth, delivering Q cloth but gives it an improved ironedv finish with- Y the cloth-from Marum to other drying ,.r; i out material web elongation. l f 'i heating the cloth by the-heat of the drumiand 1. The method of-.drying cloth and improving 1 drum vis rotated solely by am eigen, by gdvmg.= i the condition of thesurfaces thereof without subing the cloth fester menthe u1-fm of 1d drum., n e stantial change in warpwise dimensions `thereof in and tightening the'cloth on the surface-Minid. y

' a drier having power-driven and idler drying g last named drying clru'xn by :delivering the eioth drums having smooth cloth-engaging peripheries, to 9. third drying drum and ironing theelqth en which method consists in passing the cloth altersaid-*third by rotating said-third drum menately about a power-driven and an idlerdrum 5ov chanically :it equal peripheral speed' with the first in succession, driving the power-drivenl drumsat. drum, to advance the gurfgee gf said drum fue@ t equalperipheral speeds .by application of power the-gelati;- 'Y f f i external of the drier and advancing the cloth by l d. l

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